Politics

In recent years, as Chinese athletes have been accused of doping, the Chinese government has mobilized its vast propaganda apparatus, including state-run newspapers, television commentators and social media accounts, to defend the accused and deflect criticism away from its sports system. Yet the recent revelation that 23 elite Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the 2021 Olympics has been met with an unusual response from China: near silence. While the scandal is hotly debated abroad, including in congressional sessions, Chinese media have largely limited their coverage to scant official statements. Online discussions of the controversy have…

Muriel, the Colombian club that achieved a stunning victory in the Europa League, has shown their immense talent and determination on the international stage. Although they have been able to compete in the MLS, their impact has been felt far beyond their domestic league. With a combination of skill, teamwork and sheer determination, Muriel’s journey to becoming champions has been nothing short of extraordinary. On their path to glory, Muriel faced formidable opponents, including the renowned Atalanta. With players like Falcao and Bacca leading the charge as their gunners, Muriel demonstrated his attacking prowess and ability to produce game-changing performances…

What does AI sound like? Hollywood has been thinking about this for a long time, and now AI developers are following suit, creating voices for real machines inspired by movie adaptations. OpenAI recently introduced updates to its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, which now boasts the ability to hear, see, and speak in a natural voice. This voice, called Sky, bears a striking resemblance to the operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson in the 2013 film “Her.” With a husky, soothing tone, Sky’s voice was designed to be pleasant and versatile. However, Johansson has expressed concerns about the similarities, having previously declined…

Hurricane Beryl is moving toward Jamaica as a Category 4 storm, after wreaking havoc across the southeastern Caribbean and killing at least four people. Beryl intensified to a Category 5 storm with winds of at least 155 mph, but was downgraded to a Category 4 late Tuesday afternoon, with sustained winds near 165 mph, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. No Atlantic storm has reached Category 5 strength this early in the season, noted Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University. Major Atlantic hurricanes have sustained winds of 111 mph or more. Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, is in turmoil…

The biggest night in UFC history will take place this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. UFC 300 features an incredible lineup, including two former champions, Deiveson Figueiredo and Cody Garbrandt, in the first fight of the night. The event will also feature a light heavyweight title bout, a women's strawweight title bout, and the BMF belt. In total, 11 current or former champions will compete. Here are some key odds for UFC 300 from DraftKings Sportsbook: Deiveson Figueiredo: -305Cody Garbrandt: +245 Bobby Green: -180Mr. Miller: +150 Jessica Andrade: -135Marina Rodriguez: +114 My Friend Jalin Turner: -230Renato Moicano: +190…

Shanghai, China – January 1: The sun rises over the Oriental Pearl Tower on New Year's Day, January 1, 2023, in Shanghai, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Asia-Pacific markets got off to a mixed start to the second half of the year as investors weighed June economic data from China and business confidence data from Japan. Official China PMI data released over the weekend showed the manufacturing PMI at 49.5, unchanged from May, marking the second month of contraction. However, a private survey, the S&P Caixin PMI, showed a marked improvement, rising to 51.8 in June from 51.7…

Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 18, 2024. At Salesforce's annual meeting, shareholders rejected the proposed compensation plan for top executives, including CEO Marc Benioff. The decision followed concerns from advisory groups about stock awards granted to Benioff. Of the votes cast, 339.3 million were in favor, while 404.8 million were against, according to regulatory documents filed Monday. Despite the board's recommendation to approve the compensation plan, shareholder advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services advised against adopting it. For fiscal 2024, Benioff’s total compensation increased to $39.6 million…